Clutch life
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 444
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From: Lincoln, NE
2000 BMW Z3 2.3 Roadster (hardtop current ly attached)
there is no real way to tell for sure, but it seems that the low end is about 70,000 miles, and "normal" use can see lives up to and beyond 200,000 miles. I would EXPECT the MB clutch to be good for about 120,000 miles of careful (as opposed to careless service)
I had 177K on the original clutch in my first car, an '85 accord, and I was the 3rd teenage driver on that car.
I've seen M5 clutches go at 25,000 miles, its really a crapshoot.
I had 177K on the original clutch in my first car, an '85 accord, and I was the 3rd teenage driver on that car.
I've seen M5 clutches go at 25,000 miles, its really a crapshoot.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,377
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
As das nosa costra mann implies...
The length of time a clutch will last is proportional to your skill as a driver. Minimal clutch slippage is the best - no "launches", no "balancing" at stoplights, no "power shifts", clean downshifts (at least rev-matched, preferably double-declutched) will all help.
Also important is the type of driving - city driving is much more trying for clutches, for obvious reasons. If you drive high mileages on the highway, chances are your car will never need a new clutch. Too bad there's not "clutch pedal maneuver counter" - that would be one way of getting a handle on how rough the car's life has been. A proxy for this is to examine, on an older car (say 1-2 years) the amount of wear on the clutch pedal rubber. I digress.
The one wild card is the possibility of the rear main oil seal failing, or the front gearbox oil seal - oil on a clutch will destroy it in no time. Such failures of seals are rare these days.
My Peugeot 405 has 162,000 miles on its original clutch, and it's not been subject to particularly easy driving. It has, however, never been abused by me. It should be good for another 100,000 miles, I'd guess (just like the car itself should be).
So, expect no clutch troubles for 15+ years if you're a careful driver.
Also important is the type of driving - city driving is much more trying for clutches, for obvious reasons. If you drive high mileages on the highway, chances are your car will never need a new clutch. Too bad there's not "clutch pedal maneuver counter" - that would be one way of getting a handle on how rough the car's life has been. A proxy for this is to examine, on an older car (say 1-2 years) the amount of wear on the clutch pedal rubber. I digress.
The one wild card is the possibility of the rear main oil seal failing, or the front gearbox oil seal - oil on a clutch will destroy it in no time. Such failures of seals are rare these days.
My Peugeot 405 has 162,000 miles on its original clutch, and it's not been subject to particularly easy driving. It has, however, never been abused by me. It should be good for another 100,000 miles, I'd guess (just like the car itself should be).
So, expect no clutch troubles for 15+ years if you're a careful driver.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: The Red Planet
09' BMW M3 E90
My supercharged mustang was a track car and ran the 1/4 in 12's .. Allways power shifted at the track. With this setup I blew the stock cluth on the stang at 120.000km so i would say your in good shape for a long time unless your planning on racing?
